10 Haunted Places in India

There are many spots, hotels, houses and areas across the country that are touted as haunted.

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Spirits, ghosts, paranormal activity, supernatural occurrences, spooky spots – whether you believe in these or not, the truth is that many others do. There are designated spots, hotels, houses and areas across the country that are touted as haunted. But each one has a tale behind what made it this way. If you are daring enough, go check these out and see if you find them scary.

Bhangarh, RajasthanWarning: Not only is this ‘the most haunted place in the country’, but getting here is not a joke. You’ll have to trudge through broken roads for kilometers before you enter this abandoned town that is in ruins. It is recommended that one should not stay after sunset and most people don’t dare to. A few brave ones who’ve managed to do so reported that they could hear footsteps, a woman screeching and felt someone’s presence.
Dotted with temples, homes, shops, and a fort, the town was built in the 16th century by Raja Bhagwant Das. There are many tales as to why it is haunted. According to one of the legends a magician fell in love with the princess here and decided to cast a spell on her so that she also falls for him. But she got to know about this and got him killed. While dying he cursed the town, saying that everyone will die here and there will be no roof that will remain in Bhangarh. The next year there was a battle in which the city was ruined. Even today the temples and houses around don’t have any roof.

Dumas Beach, GujaratLovely, bright and cheery in the day, but glum and eerie at night, this black sand beach was once a spot where Hindus burnt the dead. While a few people have reportedly disappeared while taking a walk at night, many have heard spooky sounds. Also, dogs close to Dumas Beach bark through the night due to the presence of spirits. It is believed that the spirits of the dead roam around here. It is located close to Surat.

Shaniwarwada Fort, Pune

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Shaniwarwada Fort, Pune, MaharashtraOn full moon nights this fort gets really spooky. It is considered one of the most haunted forts of the country and the reason is that the ghost of a 13-year-old prince still lingers around. Narayan, the prince was the heir of the Peshwa dynasty and was brutally killed here. Locals say that his screams “kaka mala vacha” (uncle save me) can still be heard at night.

Delhi Cantt. DelhiOne of the prettiest spots in Delhi is not really safe at night. If you are driving down through Delhi Cantonment in the middle of the night and see a woman clad in a white sari asking for a lift, don’t stop. This is the spirit of a woman who roams around the area at night, asking people for a lift. Apparently she chases the vehicle and matches the speed while at times she simply disappears.

Dow Hill, Kurseong, West BengalHill stations are replete with ghost stories and spooky tales so how can this small and charming one close to Darjeeling be left behind? Dow Hill is the hub of paranormal activity and many accidents and murders have taken place here. There are many boarding schools here, but the Victoria Boys High School is supposed to be cursed. Locals have heard footsteps even after the school is closed and believe that there is a headless boy who follows people.

Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad.

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Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad, Andhra PradeshA popular location for movie shootings, strange things have been happening here over the years, such as odd marks on mirror, lights falling off on their own, food being scattered around in a room, girls’ clothes being torn off etc. According to legend this is where the Nizam war took place and hence the spirits of those who were killed still wander around.

Tunnel no 33, Shimla-Kalka railway line, Himachal PradeshTunnels are as it is dark and have an eerie feel about them. All you need is a ghost story to send shivers down the spine. The Barog Tunnel on the Kalka-Shimla railway line, which is claimed to be the straightest tunnel in the world, is also haunted. It’s also the longest tunnel (1143m) on the railway track and the train takes more than 2 minutes to cross it. A British engineer named Captain Barog was in charge of building it but due to some miscalculation the tunnel could not be made. The British fined him, but he felt so humiliated that he killed himself. He is said to be buried near the Barog Railway Station – although the friendly station master rubbishes this claim, and there is no easily visible tombstone to prove it either. His spirit apparently still roams around in the tunnel. But that is not all. Locals say they’ve seen a woman go screaming into the tunnel and then vanishing and a man who asks for matchsticks to light his cigarette.

Lambi Dehar Mines, Mussoorie, UttarakhandThese mines caused many deaths because workers started suffering from diseases caused because of improper mining. They were shut about 20 years ago and people living around the area also left. There have been incidents of cars and trucks disappearing and a helicopter crash. According to many people there is a witch usually seen screaming down the mountains.

Grand Paradi Towers, Mumbai

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Grand Paradi Towers, Kemps Corner, Mumbai, MaharashtraThis 28-storey building is touted as one of the most haunted spots in the City of Dreams. Apparently a number of suicides have taken place over the years where people have jumped off the building and one of the flats has remained vacant since 1979. Residents have reported random screams, knocking at the doors and running footsteps.

Savoy Hotel, Mussoorie, UttarakhandMussoorie’s most celebrated ghost, Lady Garnet Orme, is believed to haunt The Savoy, where she was found dead in mysterious circumstances. Apparently, strychnine had been poured into her medicine bottle. The case created a sensation and Agatha Christie based her book The Mysterious Affair at Styles on it. The case came to a dead end when Lady Orme’s doctor was also found dead of strychnine poisoning a few years later.

AUTHOR'S BIO: A traveller and foodie at heart, Pallavi Pasricha has explored many destinations across the world. But that never seems to be enough and she’s always ready to hit the road again. Her obsession for travel is combined with a love for photography. She is currently working as a senior commissioning editor at Lonely Planet India.